This year, the 2024 Windermere Cup Regatta, a popular Seattle tradition, brought together two rowing powerhouses – the University of Washington and the Italian National Team – to battle it out in a contest with historic roots. In 1936, during the Olympic Games in Berlin, the junior 8-man rowing team from the University of Washington vied against competitors from Italy, Germany and 11 other nations.

Against all odds, the scrappy Husky team made Olympic history, bringing home the gold medal in a spectacular upset that stunned the world. The silver medalists were the Italian National Team, with Germany placing third. The inspirational story of this underdog team from Seattle came to national attention thanks to Daniel Brown’s award-winning book, The Boys in the Boat.